


You need to take care of yourself

by Space_Hawk



Series: Inktober 2020 [21]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Suki (Avatar), Boyfriends, Fluff, Friendship, Gay, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Post-Canon, Self-Destructive Tendencies, Sokka is there to make him, Zuko needs to take better care of himself, zuko needs sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27141982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Hawk/pseuds/Space_Hawk
Summary: Sokka was only gone from the Fire Nation for a week and Zuko was already back to his self-destructive tendencies. How hard is it to get his boyfriend to take a break?Inktober Day 21: Sleep
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Inktober 2020 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950592
Comments: 2
Kudos: 112





	You need to take care of yourself

“Sokka, wait up!”

Sokka turned to see Suki jogging to catch up with him. She must’ve just gotten off a shift because she was still dressed in her full Kyoshi warrior outfit; makeup and everything. 

Her and the other Kyoshi warriors had been working as Zuko’s personal guards for the past few months because there were enough Ozai supporters still hidden in the military that Zuko didn’t trust them. And with all the attempts on his life that had already been made in the few short months since his coronation, he needed guards he could trust.

“Hey Suki, what’s up.” Sokka asked.

“He’s doing it again.” Concern was written on her face. “You and his uncle are the only ones he’ll listen to when he gets like this, but with Iroh in Ba Sing Se…” She trailed off. 

Sokka sighed, but nodded. He had only been away from the Fire Nation for a week - off on a diplomatic mission in the Earth Kingdom, but apparently his boyfriend was already reverting to his self-destructive tendencies. Sokka sighed, but nodded.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he takes a break and starts taking better care of himself.”

“Thanks, Sokka,” Suki replied, giving him a small smile of relief and a quick peck on the cheek. “I have to run, but I’ll see you around later?” After an affirming nod from him, the two went their separate ways. 

Him and Suki had tried the whole dating thing for a few weeks after the war, but they both agreed they were better as friends. And now, he was dating the Fire Lord and apparently Suki had started seeing some nobleman’s daughter. 

Though hopefully the girl she was dating was less of a self-destructive idiot, Sokka thought absentmindedly as he went to go find Zuko to force him to take care of himself. 

Sokka found said self-destructive idiot in the throne room, frantically scribbling on a piece of paper. From the looks of it, a meeting had just let out.

“Hey Zuko, guess who’s back,” Sokka said

“Hey Sokka,” Zuko replied, not looking up from his paper. 

“What? That’s all I get?” Sokka asked, giving a small pout. “Your boyfriend’s gone for a week and all you can say is ‘hey’?” 

“I’m sorry,” Zuko said with a sigh, finally looking up from his paper. “I’ve just been so busy. My advisors are pushing back against my proposal for Earth Kingdom reparations and there’s a handful of generals refusing to remove their soldiers from the colonies and-”

“Hey, it’s fine,” Sokka said gently, coming up behind him and draping his arms around him. “I was only teasing.” He felt Zuko melt into his touch as the firebender closed his eyes. 

Sokka could see why Suki was concerned. There were dark circles under the Fire Lord’s eyes and his face looked gaunt and pale. 

“Why don’t you take a break? Spend the rest of the day with me by the turtle duck pond?” Sokka suggested. “I’m sure your response to... Admiral Jin can wait,” he said as he looked at the letter Zuko had been writing.

But before Zuko could respond, a guard interrupted. 

“Excuse me Sir, but General Wu is here for your meeting.” Zuko sighed, pulling away from Sokka’s arms and rubbing his hands over his face.

“Send him in,” he told the guard wearily. Then he turned back to Sokka, a slightly helpless look on his face. “I’m sorry, but there’s just too much for me to do - I can’t.”

“It’s okay.” Sokka put his hands up in defeat. “But I expect to see you at dinner tonight. Seven o’clock sharp. Don’t be late,” he called as he left the throne room.

Zuko was, of course, late. 

After about fifteen minutes with no sign of Zuko, Sokka went to go look for him and surely enough, he found the Fire Lord pacing in his room, eyes boring into a massive scroll held out in front of him. 

His hair had been released from its topknot, headpiece laying on his desk, but he still wore the same robes he had been wearing earlier. If it was possible, he looked even more exhausted than before.

“Sokka.” Zuko said, stopping in his tracks when he noticed Sokka standing in the doorway. He cursed, realizing what time it was. “I’m so sorry, I have to get through his proposal by tomorrow for one of my meetings and then there’s the letters to the Earth Kingdom ambassadors,” he rambled, the signs of stress clearly written on his face. “Can we reschedule?”

“Nope,” Sokka said simply, plucking the scroll out of an objecting Zuko’s hands and leading him over to his bed. “You need to take a break. I’ll make sure all your meetings for tomorrow are rescheduled.”

“Sokka, that’s really sweet of you, but I can’t. There’s so much I have to do. So much I have to fix. I don’t have time to take a break, not when things are still so messed up.” There was a desperation to Zuko’s words and Sokka knew he felt responsible for the century of horror his family had brought to this word. Responsible for fixing it.

“Uh-uh, no” Sokka replied, putting his foot down. Sometimes his boyfriend was too stubborn for his own good. “You need a break. Taking care of yourself is more important than some stupid meetings. Besides, fixing all the world’s problems isn’t something that’ll happen overnight. It takes time.” 

Zuko looked like he was about to argue more, but Sokka silenced him with a finger to his lips. 

“No arguing. Now I’m going to go reschedule all your meetings for tomorrow and get some dinner brought up for us. You need to change into some more comfortable clothes. Okay?” Zuko sighed, but didn’t object

Sokka returned with food not even ten minutes later, only to find the Fire Lord fast asleep in his bed, snoring lightly. He couldn’t help but smile as he went to pull up the blankets, gently pressing his lips to Zuko’s forehead as he brushed his hair out of his face. 

Then, Sokka curled up next to him on the bed, careful not to wake him, and passed out as well.

It was the best sleep either of them had had in weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lab report due tomorrow morning that I've barely started, but instead I decided to do today's Inktober and write some cute Zukka fluff. Hope you enjoyed and as always, kudos and comments are appreciated :)


End file.
